Analysis of seabed instability using element free Galerkin method

Wave-induced seabed instability, either momentary liquefaction or shear failure, is an important topic in ocean and coastal engineering. Many factors, such as seabed properties and wave parameters, affect the seabed instability. A non-dimensional parameter is proposed in this paper to evaluate the occurrence of momentary liquefaction. This parameter includes the properties of the soil and the wave. The determination of the wave-induced liquefaction depth is also suggested based on this non-dimensional parameter. As an example, a two-dimensional seabed with finite thickness is numerically treated with the EFGM meshless method developed early for wave-induced seabed responses. Parametric study is carried out to investigate the effect of wavelength, compressibility of pore fluid, permeability and stiffness of porous media, and variable stiffness with depth on the seabed response with three criteria for liquefaction. It is found that this non-dimensional parameter is a good index for identifying the momentary liquefaction qualitatively, and the criterion of liquefaction with seepage force can be used to predict the deepest liquefaction depth.     

Le Viséen supérieur d'Azarhare (Maroc central) : environnements de dépôt,datation et évolution diagénétique

The unexplored area of Azarhare in central Morocco is studied thanks to three sections composed of five lithological facies Main biostratigraphical and sedimentological results concern (1) the identification of Late Visean biozones, with important presence of problematic algae Ungdarella, (2) the regional extension of deposit sequences SD5, SD6 and SD7 previously defined, (3) and an analysis of the diagenetic kaolinite. To cite this article: A. Karim et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Micro- and nano-textural evidence of Ti(–Ca–Fe) mobility during fluid–rock interactions in carbonaceous lawsonite-bearing rocks from New Zealand

Understanding the mobility of chemical elements during fluid–rock interactions is critical to assess the geochemical evolution of a rock undergoing burial and metamorphism and, more generally, to constrain the geochemical budget of the subduction factory. In particular, determining the behavior and mobility of Ti in aqueous fluids constitutes a great challenge that is still under scrutiny. Here, we study plant fossils preserved in blueschist metasedimentary rocks from the Marybank Formation (New Zealand). Using scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), we show that the carbonaceous material (CM) composing the fossils contains abundant nano-inclusions of Ti- and Fe-oxides. These nanocrystals are mainly anatase, rutile, and Fe–Ti oxides. The mineral composition observed within the fossils is significantly different from that detected in the surrounding rock matrix. We propose that Ti and Fe might have been mobilized by the alteration of a detrital Ti–Fe-rich protolith during an early diagenetic event under acidic and reducing conditions. Aqueous fluids rich in organic ligands released by the degradation of organic matter may have been involved. Moreover, using mass balance and petrological observations, we show that the contrasted mineralogy between the rock matrix and the fossil CM might be the consequence of the chemical isolation of fossil CM during the prograde path of the rock. Such an isolation results from the early formation of quartz and Fe-rich phyllosilicate layers enclosing the fossil as characterized by SEM and TEM investigations. Overall, this study shows that investigating minerals associated with CM down to the nanometer scale in metamorphic rocks can provide a precious record of early prograde geochemical conditions.     

Development of Tide–Surge Interaction Model for the Coastal Region of Bangladesh

In this paper, a two-dimensional, vertically integrated hydrodynamic model is developed taking into account entrained air bubbles during storm surges as well as incorporating inverted barometer, and river and land dynamics. The model is specifically designed for the coastal region of Bangladesh. A nested scheme method with a fine mesh scheme (FMS), capable of incorporating the complex coastline and all major offshore islands accurately, nested into a coarse mesh scheme (CMS) covering up to 15° N latitude in the Bay of Bengal is used. To incorporate the small and big offshore islands in the Meghna estuarine region with its complex coastline accurately, a very fine mesh scheme (VFMS) is again nested into the FMS. Along the northeast corner of the VFMS, the Meghna river discharge is taken into account. The coastal and island boundaries are approximated through proper stair steps. The model equations are solved by a semi-implicit finite difference technique using a staggered C-grid. A stable appropriate tidal condition over the model domain is generated by applying tidal forcing with the four major tidal constituents M ₂, S ₂, K ₁, and O ₁ along the southern open boundary of the CMS. This tidal regime is introduced as the initial state of the sea for nonlinear interaction of tide and surge. The model is applied to simulate water levels due to the interaction of tide and surge associated with the cyclones April 1991 and Aila at different coastal and island locations along the coast of Bangladesh. The results are found to be quite satisfactory with root mean square error of ～0.50 m as calculated for both the storm events. Tests of sensitivities on water levels are carried out for air bubbles, offshore islands, river discharge, inverse barometer, and grid resolution. The presence of air bubbles increases simulated water levels a little bit in our model, and the contribution of air bubbles in increasing water level is found around 2 %. Further, water levels are found to be influenced by offshore islands, river discharge, inverse barometer as well as grid resolution.     

Delineating of groundwater potential zones based on remote sensing,GIS and analytical hierarchical process: a case of Waddai,eastern Chad

GeoJournal - The delineation of favourable areas of water potentials and their management must be based on rigorous scientific studies. Thus, geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing...     

Geological and geophysical studies of the Agoudal impact structure (Central High Atlas,Morocco): New evidence for crater size and age

Since the discovery of shatter cones (SCs) near the village of Agoudal (Morocco, Central High Atlas Mountains) in 2013, the absence of one or several associated circular structures led to speculation about the age of the impact event, the number, and the size of the impact crater or craters. Additional constraints on the crater size, age, and erosion rates are obtained here from geological, structural, and geophysical mapping and from cosmogenic nuclide data. Our geological maps of the Agoudal impact site at the scales of 1:30,000 (6 km²) and 1:15,000 (2.25 km²) include all known occurrences of SCs in target rocks, breccias, and vertical to overturned strata. Considering that strata surrounding the impact site are subhorizontal, we argue that disturbed strata are related to the impact event. Three types of breccias have been observed. Two of them (br1‐2 and br2) could be produced by erosion–sedimentation–consolidation processes, with no evidence for impact breccias, while breccia (br1) might be impact related. The most probable center of the structure is estimated at 31°59′13.73?N, 5°30′55.14?W using the concentric deviation method applied to the orientation of strata over the disturbed area. Despite the absence of a morphological expression, the ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys reveal anomalies spatially associated with disturbed strata and SC occurrences. The geophysical data, the structural observations, and the area of occurrence of SCs in target rocks are all consistent with an original size of 1.4–4.2 km in diameter. Cosmogenic nuclide data (³⁶Cl) constrain the local erosion rates between 220 ± 22 m Ma^?1 and 430 ± 43 m Ma^?1. These erosion rates may remove the topographic expression of such a crater and its ejecta in a time period of about 0.3–1.9 Ma. This age is older than the Agoudal iron meteorite age (105 ± 40 kyr). This new age constraint excludes the possibility of a genetic relationship between the Agoudal iron meteorite fall and the formation of the Agoudal impact site. A chronolgy chart including the Atlas orogeny, the alternation of sedimentation and erosion periods, and the meteoritic impacts is presented based on all obtained and combined data.     

A literature synthesis of LiDAR applications in transportation: feature extraction and geometric assessments of highways

Interest in using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology in Transportation Engineering has grown over the past decade. The high accuracy of LiDAR datasets and the efficiency by which they can be collected has led many transportation agencies to consider mobile LiDAR as an alternative to conventional tools when surveying roadway infrastructure. Nonetheless, extracting semantic information from LiDAR datasets can be extremely challenging. Although extracting roadway features from LiDAR has been considered in previous research, the extraction of some features has received more attention than others. In fact, for some roadway design elements, attempts to extract those elements from LiDAR have been extremely scarce. To document the research that has been done in this area, this paper conducts a thorough review of existing studies while also highlighting areas where more research is required. Unlike previous research, this paper includes a thorough review of the previous attempts at data extraction from LiDAR while summarizing the detailed steps of the extraction procedure proposed in each study. Moreover, the paper also identifies common tools and techniques used to extract information from LiDAR for transportation applications. The paper also highlights common limitations in existing algorithms that could be improved in future research. This paper represents a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in knowing the current state of research on the applications of LiDAR in the field of Transportation Engineering while also understanding the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.